Turkey’s government is weighing its response after Kurdish militants declared a ceasefire following a statement from their imprisoned leader. The Turkey-PKK ceasefire talks began after Abdullah Ocalan, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) founder, urged his group to disarm and dissolve.
The ceasefire announcement came through the Firat News Agency, a media outlet linked to the PKK. The group pledged to stop the attack unless provoked, aligning with Ocalan’s call for peace. This marks the first breakthrough since peace negotiations collapsed in 2015.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party demanded that all PKK affiliates in Syria and Iraq also disband. Omer Celik, a party Spokesperson, stated that groups like the YPG and PYD should follow suit.
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz reinforced the government’s stance, calling this moment a new phase toward eradicating terrorism. While the PKK’s leadership in northern Iraq has yet to respond formally, Erdogan pledged to monitor the ceasefire’s implementation closely.
Ocalan’s statement came amid increasing political pressure on Kurdish parties in Turkey. Several pro-Kurdish mayors have recently been removed and replaced with government appointees. His message was delivered through the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, which could help extend Erdogan’s presidency beyond 2028.
DEM officials welcomed the ceasefire but demanded immediate reforms for Kurdish rights. Turkey has loosened some restrictions on Kurdish language use since Erdogan’s rise to power, but critics argue more progress is needed.
The Turkey-PKK ceasefire talks could mark a turning point if both sides commit to long-term peace. However, previous peace efforts, including those in 2015, failed, making skepticism inevitable.
